(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Anheuser-Bush, Bud Light’s parent company, is resorting to a group of former Republican Senate staffers to further advance its damage-control crusade after losing a whopping $6 billion in market losses over an infamous partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
The beer company tapped lobbying firm Origin Advocacy, LLC, to represent both companies on alleged “general policy regarding the alcohol-beverage industry.” Origin Advocacy was founded by Sean McClean, a former legislative director to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Emily Lynch, a former legislative aide to former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C.
McClean also served as a White House liaison for the Department of Commerce under former President Trump and then-Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who now sits in the Senate, according to a Fox Business report published Friday.
Origin’s efforts to save Anheuser-Busch are not being welcomed by all conservatives. Fox Business reported that the conservative group American Accountability Foundation (AAF).
In a letter to Capitol Hill staffers, AAF president Tom Jones slammed Origin and Anheuser-Bush for “making the rounds on the Hill to red-wash Bud Light’s disastrous decision to partner with a man pretending to be a woman and tell you the company really does respect conservative values.”
“They’re even making the shamefully offensive equivalency argument that their transgender activist beer can is just like their beer can honoring WWII vets,” Jones continued. “They’re telling offices, ‘Anheuser-Busch sometimes creates commemorative cans […] Honor Flight can [for] example.’ If partnering with a trans activist wasn’t shameful enough equating Dylan Mulvaney to a World War II hero is really beyond the pale.”
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., took to Twitter to mock “InBev corporate lobbyist” who attempted to get a hold of him.
“Some InBev corporate lobbyist called my office to say InBev was ‘very disappointed’ in my criticism Hahaha,” Hawley posted on April 14. “I know you guys aren’t from around here, but here’s a free piece of advice. Free yourself from the woke mind disease and make Bud Light great again”
Some InBev corporate lobbyist called my office to say InBev was “very disappointed” in my criticism 👇Hahaha. I know you guys aren’t from around here, but here’s a free piece of advice. Free yourself from the woke mind disease and make Bud Light great again https://t.co/IZmrdJlGO8
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) April 14, 2023
Bud Light’s attempt to lobby GOP lawmakers comes days after Anheuser-Bush executives told its distributors that they will “spend heavily on the brand after spending fell off a click last year.”
The marketing executive who greenlighted the infamous partnership with Mulvaney was booted from the company and is now on paid leave. Executives at both companies said they were aiming to streamline the marketing decisions “so that our most senior marketers are more closely connected to every aspect of our brand’s activities” according to an Anheuser-Busch spokesperson.
AAF said Anheuser-Busch’s efforts to save face should include a real apology to its conservative consumers.
“If Bud Light wants to regain the trust of conservative customers, they should apologize for insulting their values by embracing the woke left’s radical gender agenda instead of wasting their money on lobbyists,” AAF said in statements to Fox Business. “Bud Light sided with the Left against the average American and no amount of D.C. lobbyists in fancy suits will make them forget that.”
Anheuser-Bush CEO issued a statement amid the multi-billion-dollar loss in market value, claiming it was never their intention to be part of the transgender revolt. The apology, however, fell short for some conservative commentators, who dubbed it “clumsy” and “stupid.
Anheuser Busch has finally released a statement, and it’s just as clumsy and stupid as the marketing stunt that got them into this mess in the first place. pic.twitter.com/XUndM2b6qh
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 14, 2023
